Dispensing box construction



y 7, 1966 T. R. HODGKINS 3,251,530

DISPENSING BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed April 30, 1964 FIG. I

INVENTOR FIG. 2 THEODORE R. HODGKINS ATTORNEYS BY 3 if United States Patent 3,251,530 DISPENSING BGX CONSTRUCTION Theodore R. Hodgkins, Wilt0n, Maine, assiguor to Forster Mfg. (10., Inc., Wilton, Maine, a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 363,736

2 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) ploy a folding box. Articles of this particular class maybe defined generally as those having a principal dimension greatly in excess of the maximum dimension of a cross-section taken normal to the principal dimension. A classical example of such articles may be found in the toothpick. The common toothpick may, for example, have a principal longitudinal dimension of about 2 /2" and a maximum square or'round cross-sectional dimension of Heretofore, the principal method of packaging toothpicks in a folding box container required the use of a folding box having a bottom with a maximum dimension at least equal to the length of the toothpicks to be contained therein. Employing conventional folding box techniques, a top or cover was therefore also employed having -a similar maximum dimension. Thus, oncethe filled folding box Was opened, the entire toothpick contents were uncovered with the inevitable result that unless the box were handled with extreme caution, the contents would be accidentally spilled. Additionally, it is usually necessary when employing such a box construction to glue the cover in closed position after assembly of the box and contents to prevent accidental opening of the box and spilling ofthe contents prior to use. When the cover is glued closed, the user, in opening the box initially, frequently will tear the bendable margin or tongue on the cover which is normally glued to the adjacent side wall, beyond rep-air and in such a fashion that the cover thereafter can not be reclosed, thus leaving the contents in unsanitary, uncovered condition and particularly prone to accidental spilling.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide a folding box construction suitable for use with articles of the class described which construction includes a dispensing aperture separate from the cover portion of the folding box whereby a portion of the contents thereof may be dispensed without recourse to opening of the box cover.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a folding box construction including a dispensing aperture for the box contents which is simple and inexpensive to pro duce while still including a dispensing aperture of sufiicient sturdiness to withstand prolonged use without destroying the integrity of the box construction.

In the practice of the invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, a folding box blank is produced along conventional lines including a bottom portion adjacent a pair of opposed side walls and opposed end walls. The

side walls are provided with corner laps for glued assembly with the end wall portions of the box blank and one side wall is connected to a topor cover portion bendable over the assembled box to enclose the contents thereof. The top is provided with a bendable margin or tongue whereby it may be glued in closed condition. A dispensing aperture is formed in this construction through an 3,251,535 Patented May 17, 1966 end wall at a point spaced from the side margins thereof and adjacent a score line differentiating the end wall from an adjacent bendable margin. The dispensing aperture includes a bendable tab which may be opened by the user to dispense a portion of the contents directly through the end wall Without opening the box cover.

It is a feature of this invention that the dispensing aperture formed through the end wall of the box is spaced inwardly from the side margins thereof, thereby greatly reducing the possibility of separation of the end wall from the adjacent bendable margin during opening of the dispensing aperture.

It is an additional feature of this invention that the dispensing aperture located in the end wall is initially positioned at a portion of the end wall entirely adjacent a corner lap of an associated side Wall when the box is in assembled, glued condition.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description proceeds with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a box blank incorporating the structure of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view in perspective of a box assembled from the blank of FIG. 1 and illustrating the dispensing aperture of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings for a more particular description of the invention, a folding box blank indicated generally at 10 is shown in unfolded condition as it would appear after cutting. As is usual, the box blank is of a single piece of heavy paper material and includes a plurality of box wall elements, adjacent elements being differentiated from each other by means of scoring lines produced during the manufacturing process.

The blank 10 includes a bottom portion 12 of generally rectangular configuration having a longer dimension suitable to receive the articles to be contained in the completed box. Separated from the bottom 12 by lines of scoring at opposite sides thereof are a pair of opposed side wall portions 14 and 16.

Also adjacent the bottom portion 12 of the blank 10 and separated therefrom by lines of scoring are a pair of opposed end .walls 18 and 20 extending from the bottom 12 at right angles to the side walls 14 and 16, the side walls 14 and 16 and the end walls 18 and 20 being all of equal height and bendable upwardly from the position of FIG. 1 along the associated lines of scoring differentiating them from the bottom 12 to form upstanding side and end walls of the assembled box.

In order to maintain the end and side walls in upright, assembled condition, corner laps 22 and 24 are formed adjacent side 'wall 16 and differentiated therefrom by lines of scoring in order that the corner laps 22 and 24 may be bent inwardly over the bottom 12 and secured to the interior end portions of the adjacent end walls 18 and 20 respectively by means of glue or other suitable adhesive, thereby maintaining the side Wall 16 and end walls 18 and 20 in rigid, assembled condition.

In order to maintain the side wall 14 in upright, assembled condition similar to side wall 16, corner laps 26 and 28 are formed adjacent thereto and differentiated therefrom by lines of scoring. As with corner laps 22 and 24 associated With side wall 16, corner laps 26 and 28 are secured to the adjacent interior end portions of end walls 18 and 20 respectively by glue or other suitable adhesive thereby maintaining end walls 18 and 20 and side wall 14 in rigid, assembled condition.

It will also be noted that end walls 18 and 20 are provided with bendable margin portions or extensions 30 and 32 respectively, differentiated therefrom by lines of scoring, and provided for bending inwardly over the bottom 12 when the box is in assembled condition and the contents have been placed therein. The bendable extensions 3t and 32 prevent the accidental discharge of the contents of the container between the uppermost portions of end walls 18 or 20 and the container cover hereinafter I bottom 12. A bendable margin or tongue 36. is formed adjacent the cover 34 and differentiated therefrom by a line of scoring at the opposite side of the cover 34 from the side wall 16. The tongue 36 is intended for insertion within the interior of the assembled container adjacent the interior face of side wall 14 to provide means for maintaining the cover 34 in normally closed condition.

In order to permit securing of the cover 34 in closed condition after filling and prior to opening by the user by a suitable adhesive, as for example glue, a bendable tab 38 is formed in the tongue 36 by a semi-circular line of cutting 40. The line of cutting 44 terminates at either end thereof at the line of scoring differentiating the tongue 36 from the cover 34. By this construction the tongue 36 may be positioned against the interior face of side Wall 14 as above described while the tab 38 may be bent outwardly along the line of scoring, passing over the top of side wall 14 and may be glued to the exterior of side wall 14 by the application of adhesive. In this fashion the container may be securely closed after filling for transportation and handling. When it is desired to completely open the container for use, it is only necessary to disengage the glued tab 38 from the exterior surface of side wall 14 or alternatively to cut the tab 33 along the line of scoring joining it to the cover 34 to free the cover 34 for opening. The cover may be reclosed satisfactorily, however, since the integrity of tongue 36 is still retained allowing tongue 36 to be re-inserted adjacent the interior face of side wall 14.

In order to provide the dispensing aperture of the invention, making it unnecessary to open the cover 34 glued closed by the tab 38, a dispensing aperture indicated generally at 42 is formed in end Wall 29. It will be understood that dispensing aperture 42 could be formed in either end Wall 18 or end wall 20 depending upon the particular product to be contained within the assembled box or other factors suchas exterior surface printing and the like.

The dispensing aperture 42 comprises a small semicircular tab 44 formed in the end wall 20 adjacent the line of scoring differentiating end wall 2% from the associated bendable margin or extension 32. Tab 44 is formed by making a semi-circular cut indicated generally at 46 through end wall 20 with the ends of semi-circular cut 46 terminating at the line of scoring differentiating end wall 20 from bendable margin 32. v

In order to maintain tab 44 in normally closed condition coplanar With end Wall 2i), semi-circular cut 46 is produced in the preferred embodiment by forming semicircular cut 46 as three unconnected arcuate segments 48, 50 and 52. In this fashion tab 44 will remain attached to end wall 20 at connecting portions 54 thereof between the adjacent ends of cuts 48 and t) and cuts 50 and 52 respectively. Tab 44 will thus be maintained coplanar with end wall until a force is applied to rupture connecting portions 54 permitting tab 44 to be pushed inwardly or pulled outwardly of the container as may be desired, tab 44 bending along the line of scoring differentiating end wall 20 and bendable margin 32.

It will be particularly noted that arcuate cuts 48 and 52 of semi-circular cut 46 each terminate respectively at an uppermost end at the line of scoring differentiating end wall 20 from bendable margin 32. It 'will further be noted that a small portion 56 of the line of scoring referred to still remains intact joining end wall 20 and bendable margin 32 after producing semi-circular cut 46.

A similar but larger portion 58 of the line of scoring is likewise retained at the opposite side of semi-circular cut 46 in the preferred embodiment. It will be understood that portions 56 and 58 of the line of scoring will of course vary in relative length depending upon the particular positioning of tab 44 in end wall 20. It is important to note, however, that in any event cut 46 will be spaced inwardly of both side margins of end wall 20 so that both a portion 56 and a portion 58 will be retained according to the teachings of the invention in order to provide hinge means between the end wall 20 and bendable margin 32 at adjacent end portions thereof. In this fashion it is assured that opening of tab 44 as above described will not destroy the integrity of the hinge means connecting end wall 20 and bendable margin 32 thereby disengaging bendable margin 32 in whole or in part from end wall 20.

In order to strengthen end wall 20 in the area at which tab 44 is produced by semi-circular cut 46, and

also to strengthen end wall 20 against collapse due to the force applied to rupture connecting portions 54 during the opening of tab 44, it will be noted that in the preferred embodiment tab 44 is positioned on end Wall 20 at an end portion thereof adjacent corner lap 28 of side Wall 14. As described above, corner lap 28 is secured to the interior face of end wall 20 in assembled condition thereby substantially strengthening the adjacent region of end wall 20. Tab 44 is formed in this strengthened area andconsequently a semi-circular aperture 60 must be for-med through corner lap 28 to permit passage of the container contents through dispensing aperture 42 when tab 44 is opened. Additionally, semi-circular aperture 60 in corner lap 28 is necessary to permit tab 44 to swing inwardly of the container if a pushing force 'is applied at the exterior face of tab 44 to rupture the connections 54. Semi-circular aperture 60 is initially positioned adjacent the upper margin of corner lap 28 and oriented such that it will be in registering relation with dispensing aperture 42 when side Wall 14 and end wall 20 are in upright, assembled condition.

It will thus be noted that a novel folding box construction including an end wall dispensing orifice is produced according to the teachings of the invention. By the provision of a dispensing orifice 42 it is possible to remove the contents of the assembled container without opening the cover 34 thereof which is normally glued closed by means of tab 38 after filling at the factory. Additionally, it Will be noted that dispensing aperture 42 is positioned through an end Wall of the container adjacent a corner lap to insure that the dispensing aperture is located at a portion of the container structure having a double wall thickness. It will also be noted that the dispensing aperture of .the invention includes a tab 44 which is normally joined to the adjacent walls by connecting portions 54 and by a line of scoring. In use, the connecting portions 54 are ruptured, but the line of scoring remains intact making it possible to close the dispensing aperture 42 with tab 44 after dispensing only a portion of the contents of the container.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A box for dispensing toothpicks and like articles, having a bottom, side walls having corner laps, end walls having inturned extensions, and a cover connected to one of the side walls and including a tongue for retaining the cover in closed position, the end walls being joined to the box bottom along a fold line at the bottom of the end walls and the end walls being joined to the end wall extensions along a fold line at the top of the end walls, the corner laps being disposed inwardly of the end walls in contact therewith with the top margins of the corner laps adjacent the fold line at the top of the end walls, an aperture for dispensing the box contents while the box cover remains closed, said aperture being disposed in an end wall of the box adjacent an end wall fold line close.

to a box corner, the adjacent corner lap within the end References Cited by the Examiner Wall having an aperture generally corresponding to the UNITED STATES PATENTS shape of and registering with the aperture in the end wall. 662,560 11/1900 Floyd 22917 X 2. A box as defined in claim 1, the further combination 5 2,053 217 9 193 F m et 1, 229 17 of a bendable flap in said aperture in the end Wall, said flap being integral with said end Wall and bendable along LOUIS J. DEMBO, primary a fold line coincident with the fold line intermediate the end wall and the end wall extension, the registering ROBERT B. REEVES, Examiner. aperture in the corner lap comprising a generally serni- 10 circular notch in the top margin of the corner lap. 

1. A BOX FOR DISPENSING TOOTHPICKS AND LIKE ARTICLES, HAVING A BOTTOM, SIDE WALLS HAVING CORNER LAPS, END WALLS HAVING INTURNED EXTENSIONS, AND A COVER CONNECTED TO ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS AND INCLUDING A TONGUE FOR RETAINING THE COVER IN CLOSED POSITION, THE END WALLS BEING JOINED TO THE BOX BOTTOM ALONG A FOLD LINE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE END WALLS AND THE END WALLS BEING JOINED TO THE END WALL EXTENSIONS ALONG A FOLD LINE AT THE TOP OF THE END WALLS, THE CORNER LAPS BEING DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THE END WALLS IN CONTACT THEREWITH WITH THE TOP MARGINS OF THE CORNER LAPS ADJACENT THE FOLD LINE AT THE TOP OF THE END WALLS AN APERTURE FOR DISPENSING THE BOX CONTENTS WHILE THE BOX COVER REMAINS CLOSED, SAID APERTURE BEING DISPOSED IN AN END WALL OF THE BOX ADJACENT AN END WALL FOLD LINE CLOSE TO A BOX CORNER, THE ADJACENT CORNER LAP WITHIN THE END 